Fall City attorney Paul Graves is running as a Republican for the State House of Representatives, but not as a member of today’s GOP. Instead, he’s running as the kind of Republican he grew up admiring.

“It’s a privilege to be a Washington Republican,” he said, in the tradition of former Governor Dan Evans. A Washington Republican, he said, is invested in getting work done, not rhetoric.

“We have Republicans who are not angry or embittered,” he said. “We have involvement and goals.”

They also have a history of bipartisan efforts, he said, quoting the former Governor Evans: “I’d rather cross the aisle than cross the people.”

Nationally, party politics are frustrating, Graves said, and he might not have run.

Talking to people changed his mind, he said, because “this year, of all years, is the time to fight for truth and understanding and thoughtfulness.”

As the only Republican candidate running for Position 2, against Democrats Matt Larson and Darcy Burner, Graves is unopposed in the primary.

He is focused on door-to-door campaigning, to hear from the 5th District voters themselves. What he’s hearing from people are the recurring themes of “education, transportation and taxes…. we need to expand the Maple Valley Highway and S.R. 18 in Snoqualmie needs to be expanded.” he said.

“People know we have a great challenge with our education system, it needs to be reformed… People are also concerned that they keep hearing about candidates who want to implement an income tax.”

He noted that property values and so property tax revenues have been increasing, along with sales taxes, which enabled the state to put more than $4 billion into schools since 2011. “And they did it without raising taxes,” he said.

Going forward, he said, “I want to dedicate 75 cents of every new dollar (of state revenue) to education.”

Education is close to his heart, and as a commuter into Seattle, Graves says “I live the transportation problem.” At the top of his list, though, if he’s elected, is collaboration. “My number-one priority will be working effectively as a legislator,” he said.

Learn more about Graves at http://www.paulgraveswa.com.